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Betrayed (Crippled Series)
"Betrayed" is the first chapter of Crippled. Betrayed No one knew what to expect from the first Quarter Quell. No one expected that we’d have to vote on who participated in the Games. As soon as it was announced people changed. A lot of people started to be nice to everyone, a lot of rich parents handed out food to the poor, a lot of people pointed out that I probably wouldn’t get far in life, so I was the better choice. I’m sitting in the crowd of standing people, waiting for our escort to announce the results, when I already know I’ve been betrayed. The escort walks on the stage with a smile. Her hair has been dyed lime green, and she’s wearing a bright orange suit. There’s nothing on the stage but a silver pedestal with an envelope on it. Most of the people around me are whispering to each other. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but their confident smiles and the fact that they keep looking at me gives me a pretty good idea. I stare at the escort as she carefully opens the creamy white envelope. I focus on the golden card she pulls out and close my eyes as she opens her mouth to read the girl’s name. “Evi Thread.” The people around me try to help me up to the stage, but I refuse. I don’t need their help. I grab my crutches from the back of the wheelchair and ease myself up. You can hear every thud of my crutches as the whole crowd falls silent. I feel their stares as they part to let me by, I feel their guilt. Let them feel guilty, I know they won’t suffer nearly as much as I will in the Games. I’m going to die. I’ve known ever since they announced the twist but as I struggle up the stage’s stairs any hope I had of winning leaves me. I can’t even climb stairs, let alone kill someone. Maybe my District partner will help me a little; but I doubt it. He’ll probably be some rude, cruel boy that everyone wants to get rid of. The escort finally stops staring at me with pity in her eyes and reads the boy’s name. “Nathan Hook” Something’s wrong with him, I can tell as soon as he walks onstage. He comes up the stage coughing uncontrollably and he can’t catch his breath. I can tell he’s young, maybe twelve years old. Nobody cries or does anything to show they know him. He must be an orphan, like me. Unlike me he must have gotten sent to the orphanage, where I managed to support myself. The escort looks at us uncertainly; as if she doesn’t know what she’s going to do with us. The mayor steps up to dismiss the crowd and Nathan and I are helped offstage. I’m led into a little room and told anyone can visit me. Surprisingly, someone has the nerve to show up. Shay Weave, my factory supervisor, walks into the room, filling it with her presence. I turn away from her, but she turns my wheelchair back to face her. “Evi Thread, you look at me. You are the best worker we have in the factory. I expect cutting out a tribute’s heart won’t be too different from cutting out patterns from cloth. With your sharp eyes I know you’ll spot any traps set for you. Evi, don’t you count yourself out now. You may be crippled, but that’s a blessing now. No Career will look twice at you. You can win Evi, I know you can.” Without even giving me a chance to ask if she voted for me Shay strides right out of the room. I wait in silence for half an hour before the peacekeepers come to take me to the train. Nathan looks even lonelier than I do. I wonder if he got any visitors. The peacekeepers hand me my crutches and I get up from my wheelchair to board the train. I follow Nathan down the train and into the dining room. Sitting at the table is the escort and my mentor. Our mentor speaks first. “Well then. I’m Lucy Needle, in case you don’t know.” As if I could not know the name of our District’s only victor. Lucy was famous for her single weapon, a needle that she would stab into other tribute’s pressure points while they slept. The Capitol loves her. Our escort clears her throat nervously before speaking. “I’m Lexiova Vesta, but you can call me Lexi. I’m sorry honeys; do you want to sit down? Both of you must have had a hard day, one of you being crippled and the other being so ill.” Nathan and I exchange glances. Obviously this woman knows nothing about us. Lucy’s staring at Lexi too. Finally she slams down her glass and speaks. “For goodness sakes Lexi, do you have to be such an airhead?” Lexi runs from the room in tears as Lucy leans back to get a good look at us. I straighten up and lean against my crutches less and Nathan manages to take a deep breath. “Crippled indeed” Lucy mutters. “Sorry about Lexi, she means well. When she was my escort she went on and on about the small amount of clothes I had and how awful it must be for me. Still, I recommend you sit down. It looks like our dinner is coming.” A huge amount of platters were being brought to our table. I load up my plate with roasted rosemary turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, and several slices of pie. My stomach growls, I didn’t eat all day because I was too nervous. Beside me Nathan is already eating, I expect he doesn’t get much food at the orphanage. The train rocks faintly back and forth in a soothing motion. Contented, I raise my fork. Category:Crippled Chapters Category:Story chapters